Devices for handling elongated articles



Oct. 11, 1966 A. SCHMERMUND 3,278,077

DEVICES FOR HANDLING ELONGATED ARTICLES Filed June 1, 1965 5Sheets-Sheer, l

ZA/VENTOP. ALFPED SCHMEPMUNP By- Mm & M

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5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1, 1965 Fig. 5

1 0 2 l M/ IIII IIIII 2 WIJIIE 9 m4? Mu V i United States Patent Ofiice3,278,077 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 3,278,077 DEVICES FOR HANDLINGELONGATED ARTICLES Alfred Schmermund, 62 Kornerstrasse, Gevelsberg,

Westphalia, Germany Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,336

Claims priority, application Germany, June 11, 1964,

Sch 35,306 8 Claims. (Ql. 221-1) The invention relates to devices forhandling elongated articles, for example cigarettes, cigarillos orcigars, and more specifically to devices for supplying batches ofpredetermined numbers of such articles for magazines to feed members.

In machines for packing cigarettes, the cigarettes to be packed areplaced into hoppers from which they drop into counting chutes arrangedtherebeneath, cigarettes being delivered in batches of predeterminednumbers of cigarettes from the free ends of the chutes to containerswhich are transferred to conveyor tables on to which the cigarettes aredischarged in batches from the containers for being fed along theconveyer tables to packing stations at which the batches of cigarettesare subjected to a desired treatment. Usually in each packing machine, aplurality of containers are provided and arranged so that at least onecontainer is charged with cigarettes and at least one other container isdischarged, the discharged cigarettes being fed on to a conveyer table.Such arrangements have been disclosed in my United Kingdom patentspecification No. 881,068.

While the arrangements of said patent specification have workedsatisfactorily it is an object of my present invention still further toimprove the previous arrange ments.

In such arrangements the time needed for filling cigarettes into thecontainers is longer than the time needed for discharging thecontainers. Therefore, a limitation is imposed on the operating speed ofthe previous arrangements by the time needed for filling the containers.It is another object of my present invention to remove such limitationand to obtain a higher operating speed, other conditions being equal,than is obtainable by the previous arrangements.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art when reading the following detaileddescription of a specific embodiment of my invention which is given byway of example and which is comewhat diagrammatically illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of the invention in elevation;

FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view taken along the line II II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view, partly in section;

FIG. 4 illustrates various operating steps; and

FIG. 5 illustrates linkages between various parts of the arrangement.

The arrangement illustrated comprises two conveyer paths I and II forfeeding elongated articles to a packing or other treatment station. Amagazine is provided which has a hopper 1 for loose cigarettes (whichterm is intended to embrace also cigarillos, cigars and other elongatedarticles), the hopper 1 having a funnel-shaped portion 25. In the hopperroof-like separating members 16 are provided for guiding cigarettes intogroups of chutes 2, smaller roof-like elements being provided forrelieving pressure exerted by the cigarettes from the chutes 2 which, inuse, are arranged so that cigarettes can pass through the chutes 2 underthe action of gravity.

Four groups of chutes 2 are provided, the groups being indicated by LL;LR; RL; and RR. Beneath the chutes 2, a bottom plate 24 is provided.Between the lower ends of the chutes 2 and the bottom plate 24, slides 9and 10 are reciprocatably provided and arranged to move in oppositesenses. Each of the slides 9 and 10 is U-shaped at one end, the U-shapedends 7a and 7b of slide 9 and the U-shaped ends 8a and 8b of the slide10 being slitted to form discharging fingers corresponding to thedistances of the respective chutes 2 from one another, the slotted ends7a, 7b, 8a and 3b extending into the range of the chutes 2 andcorresponding with regard to their width and height to cigarette batchesto be supplied from the chutes 2. A pair of containers 3 is carried on areciprocatable rod 42, and another pair of containers .3 is car ried onanother reciprocatable rod 41. The bottom of each container 3 and 3 hasa slot 23 through which neck portions of push members 11 can pass, saidpush members 11 being fixed by cross bars 21 to conveyors 22 formingendless feed members, each conveyor 22 passing around guide wheels 13mounted on shafts 14. Furthermore, guides 17, 18 and 20 are providedalong which batches of cigarettes can travel when pushed by the pushmembers 11 to a station for further treatment such as packing.

The slides 9, 10 and the reciprocatable rods 41, 42 are operable intimed relationship relatively to each other. This may be effected in anyconvenient and known manner as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 5,in which a drive 101 is linked through a cam and follower arrangement102 to the slides 9, 10 and through a cam and follower arrangement 103to rods 41, 42, the linkage being elfected by means of leverarrangements 104 and 105. The arrangement illustrated operates asfollows:

The slides 9 and 10 by means of their slotted ends 7a, 7b and 8a, 821respectively, move alternately a batch of cigarettes from the respectivegroup of chutes into containers 3, 3' which, at this instant, areopposite the lower open end of chutes 2. The conveyors 22 with the pushmembers 11 move at a substantial constant speed and cigarettes aresupplied from the hopper to the chutes 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates five operating positions a, b, c, d, a, of which theposition a corresponds to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,positions a, b, c and d indicating four phases of an operating cycle,and the position a corresponding to position a. Adjacent phases aredisplaced relatively to one another through In the position a (and inthe corresponding position a), the containers 3 carried by thereciprocatable rod 42 are located in front of the chutes 2 of the groupsLL and RL and are supplied with cigarettes from the respective chutes 2by means of the slide 9. The containers 3' carried by the reciprocatablerod 41 are in alignment with the conveyer paths I and II and are emptiedby means of the push members 11. The emptying of the containers 3' isefiected Within a short time while the arrangement is in position a.Contrary thereto, the feeding of cigarettes into the containers 3 takesa considerable time which is longer than the time during which thearrangement is in the position a. As will become clear from whatfollows, the feed of cigaretes to the containers 3 started alreadybefore the arrangement reached the position a. The reciprocatable rod 41carrying the container 3' is now shifted as indicated by the arrow,whereby the arrangement assumes the subsequent position b. In positionb, the containers 3 carried by rod 42 are still located in front of thechutes 2 of the groups LL and RL so that the feeding of cigarettes intothe containers 3 can continue without interruption, whereas thecontainers 3 have been 3 shifted by the rod 41 to lie in front of thechutes 2 of the groups LR and RR so that the feeding of cigarettes intothe containers 3' by means of the slide lit? can begin while the feedingof cigarettes into the containers 3 continues to completion.

The reci-procatable rod 42 carrying the containers 3 is now shifted asindicated by the arrow, whereby the arrangement assumes the subsequentposition 0. In the position 0, the containers 3 carried by the rod 42are in alignment with the conveyor paths I and II, and are emptied bythe push members 11 while the feeding of cigarettes into the containers3 continues. The reciprocatable rod 42 carrying the containers 3 is nowshifted as indicated by the arrow, whereby the arrangement assumes thesubsequent position d. In the positions d, the containers 3 carried bythe rod 42 are in front of the chutes 2 of the groups LL and RL forfeeding cigarettes into the containers c, and the containers 3' continueto be fed with cigarettes from the chutes 2 of groups LR and RR. Thereciprocatable rod 41 carrying the containers 3 is shifted as indicatedby the arrow, whereby the arrangement assumes the subsequent position awhich is identical with the position a. In the position a, the feedingof cigarettes into the containers 3 is continued and the containers 3'are discharged onto the conveyer paths I and II.

With the arrangement of my United Kingdom specification No. 881,068herein before referred to all the containers for cigarettes were jointlydisplaceable so that each container was for half a cycle of operation ina position for being charged with cigarettes and for a subsequent half acycle in a position for being discharged. Contrary thereto, in thearrangement just described, each container is in a position for beingcharged during of a cycle of operation and is in a position for beingdischarged only during of a cycle. The short time available fordischarging is sufiicient, and the longer time for charging eachcontainer can be fully utilized. Thus it is not necessary for acontainer to wait idling after it has been discharged until anothercontainer has been charged. By increasing the time available forcharging and reducing the time during which a container remains in thedischarge position; the total time required by a full cycle of operationcan be kept short.

Modifications of the embodiment described and illustrated are possible.For example, the reciprocatable rods 41 and 42 carrying the containersmay be replaced by other operating elements such as chains, segments,discs. Again, depending on requirements of each case, the operatingcycle need not be subdivided into for equal periods, but may besubdivided in any other suitable manner. Again, instead of providing twoconveycr paths, only one such path or more than two paths may beprovided.

It should be clearly understood that further modifications, omissionsand additions are possible without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A device for handling elongated articles, comprising a magazine forsaid articles, said magazine having at least two groups of magazineopenings, at least a first container and a second container for movementof said articles, at least one feed path means for said articles, firstmeans for aligning said first container alternately with one of saidgroups of magazine openings and with said feed path means, second meansfor aligning said second container alternately with the other group ofmagazine openings and with said feed path means, said first aligningmeans being separate from said second aligning means, means for feedingarticles to each container from the magazine through the said magazineopenings when said container is aligned with one of said groups ofmagazine openings, means for discharging articles from each containerwhen aligned with said feed path means and for moving the articles alongsaid feed path means, and means for timing the operation of said firstaligning means, the said second aligning means, the feed means and thedischarge means.

2. A device as defined in claim I, wherein each container after havingbeen discharged by said discharging means is aligned by one of saidaligning means with one of said groups of magazine openings while therespective other container is still aligned with the respective othergroup of magazine openings.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said first aligning meanscomprise a first reciprocatable rod carrying said first container, andsaid second aligning means comprise a second reciprocatable rod carryingsaid second container, said timing means being arranged forreciprocating said rods in timed relationship relative to each other.

4. A device for handling elongated articles, comprising a magazine forsaid articles, said magazine having four .groups of magazine openings, afirst pair of containers and a second pair of containers for saidarticles, two feed paths means for said articles, first means foraligning said first pair of containers alternately with two of said fourgroups of magazine openings and with said two feed paths means, secondmeans for aligning said second pair of containers alternately with theother two groups of magazine openings and with said two feed pathsmeans, said first aligning means being separate from said secondaligning means, means for feeding articles to each pair of containerswhen aligned with two of said four groups of magazine openings, meansfor discharging articles from each pair of containers when aligned withsaid two feed paths means and for moving the articles along the saidfeed path means, and means for timing the operation of said firstaligning means, the said second aligning means, the feed means and thedischarge means.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said first aligning meanscomprise a first support carrying said first pair of containers, andsaid second aligning means comprise a second support carrying saidsecond pair of containers.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said first support comprisesa first reciprocatable rod, and said second support comprises a secondreciprocatable rod, said timing means being arranged for reciprocatingsaid rods in timed relationship relative to each other.

7. A method of handling elongating articles comprising the steps ofplacing a first container in a first charging position, placing a secondcontainer in a discharging position, charging articles into said firstcontainer while discharging articles from said second container, placingsaid second container in a second charging position, charging articlesinto said second container while the charging of articles into saidfirst container is being continued to completion, placing said firstcontainer in said discharging position, discharging articles from saidfirst container while the charging of articles into said secondcontainer is continued, placing said first container in said firstcharging position, charging articles into said first container whilecharging articles into said second container is continued to completion,placing said second container in said discharging position, dischargingarticles from said second container while the charging of articles intosaid first container is being continued, and continuing the sequence ofsteps.

8. A method of handling elongated articles comprising the steps ofplacing a first pair of containers in a first pair of chargingpositions, placing a second pair of containers in a pair of dischargingpositions, charging articles into said first pair of containers whiledischarging articles from said second pair of containers, placing saidsecond pair of containers in a second pair of charging positions,charging articles into said second pair of containers while the chargingof articles into said first pair of containers is continued tocompletion, placing said first pair of containers in said pair ofdischarging positions, discharging articles from said first pair ofcontainers while the charging of articles into said second pair ofcontainers is continued, placing said first pair of containers in saidfirst pair of charging positions, charging articles into said first pairof containers while the charging of articles in said second pair ofcontainers is completed, placing said second pair of containers in saidpair of discharging positions, discharging articles from said secondpair of containers while the charging of articles into said first pairof containers continues, and continuing the sequence of steps.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Stanley 221-253Feldman 53150 Lazaga 53-223 Stephano Q 221-236 Warren 221116 Schmerrnund221-93 XR ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

W. SOBIN, Assistant Examiner.

7. A METHOD OF HANDLING ELONGATING ARTICLES COMPRISING THE STEPS OFPLACING A FIRST CONTAINER IN A FIRST CHARGING POSITION, PLACING A SECONDCONTAINER IN A DISCHARGING POSITION, CHARGING ARTICLES INTO SAID FIRSTCONTAINER WHILE DISCHARGING ARTICLES FROM SAID SECOND CONTAINER, PLACINGSAID SECOND CONTAINER IN A SECOND CHARGING POSITION, CHARGING ARTICLESINTO SAID SECOND CONTAINER WHILE THE CHARGING OF ARTICLES INTO SAIDFIRST CONTAINER IS BEING CONTINUED TO COMPLETION, PLACING SAID FIRSTCONTAINER IN SAID DISCHARGING POSITION, DISCHARGING ARTICLES FROM SAIDFIRST CONTAINER WHILE THE CHARGING OF ARTICLES INTO SAID SECONDCONTAINER IS CONTINUED, PLACING SAID FIRST CONTAINER IN SAID FIRSTCHARGING POSITION, CHARGING ARTICLES INTO SAID FIRST CONTAINER WHILECHARGING ARTICLES INTO SAID SECOND CONTAINER IS CONTINUED TO COMPLETION,PLACING SAID SECOND CONTAINER IN SAID DISCHARGING POSITION, DISCHARGINGARTICLES FROM SAID SECOND CONTAINER WHILE THE CHARGING OF ARTICLES INTOSAID FIRST CONTAINER IS BEING CONTINUED, AND CONTINUING THE SEQUENCE OFSTEPS.